Full Version: Open-Source spell formulae?
| QUOTE (hyzmarca) |
| Reading this I have learned nothing except for the fact that no one here understands linux. |
Point taken. So instead think of the astral as the free OS that everyone has access to. Then think of the free spell formulae as programs that you download the source for and have to compile and install manually. Purchased spell formulae are the ones that come prepackaged and have installation wizards. And yes, I know that some open source programs have wizards, but I'm dismissing those in this instance because my analogy is meant to only pertain to a small portion of the open source software.
| QUOTE |
| I think the only reason why open-source spells should be somehow restricted is if you're trying to stick to the rules a lot and/or want to make this a game-balance tool. |
Exactly. If you don't care about game balance give your mages free code. If you care about game balance but want other ways to do it (like buggy spells or hackers tracking their MagickNet IDs and coming to arrest them) then you give your mages free code. Otherwise you make them pay the costs listed in the book.
Buggy spells. 
Customized spells that have lowered drain codes.
The spell creation rules are quite explicit about drain codes. Lowered drain would mean lowered effects in most cases. However, that doesn't stop a GM from making unique spells or pulling one out of an IE's rectum.
“No? A little too expensive? Well, if that’s what you’re worried about, there’s always this.” Getting on a stepstool, the dwarf reached up and snagged a handful of yellowed, dog-eared printouts that had been roughly stapled together on the right to open like a book. “Can’t get much cheaper than this, my friend.”
Public Domain Spells, 2053 edition
Public Domain Spells was an e-zine (electronic magazine) published annually on the public grid in the CAS, giving the full formulae for up to a dozen completely legal spells. Perhaps fortunately, the volunteers who ran it gave up a couple of years ago and moved on to Magicknet in an effort to make money. Some meticulous soul printed out the 2053 edition, stapled it together, and apparently left it to molder under a pile of magazines for ten years before offloading it on a poor unsuspecting talismonger, who just handed it to you. Enjoy.
This particular copy contains seven spells. Some of them are less potent than they were a decade ago-the state of the art moves on as they say, but most are still effective and useful in their own way-and all of them have excessive information on their designers and overly elaborate names. Given the relative lack of popularity of Public Domain Spells and its cancellation, “back issues,” either hardcopy or electronic reserve, are actually traded for good nuyen. Who knows, maybe there’s even an old gem buried in here…
Public Domain Spells, 2053 edition
Public Domain Spells was an e-zine (electronic magazine) published annually on the public grid in the CAS, giving the full formulae for up to a dozen completely legal spells. Perhaps fortunately, the volunteers who ran it gave up a couple of years ago and moved on to Magicknet in an effort to make money. Some meticulous soul printed out the 2053 edition, stapled it together, and apparently left it to molder under a pile of magazines for ten years before offloading it on a poor unsuspecting talismonger, who just handed it to you. Enjoy.
This particular copy contains seven spells. Some of them are less potent than they were a decade ago-the state of the art moves on as they say, but most are still effective and useful in their own way-and all of them have excessive information on their designers and overly elaborate names. Given the relative lack of popularity of Public Domain Spells and its cancellation, “back issues,” either hardcopy or electronic reserve, are actually traded for good nuyen. Who knows, maybe there’s even an old gem buried in here…
[ Spoiler ]
Hehehehh... "Slay Western Dragon."
At Force 1 the spell is usefull for cleaning out the magical genepool.
What the hell would that spell be? Would it be a drain-reduced manabolt or something that works only on dragons? That doesn't make sense; Bug Barrier could work if it blocked out insect spirits because it was attuned to the insect metaplane. But as far as I know, there is no dragon metaplane, nor is there some sort of dragon aura you could attune it to.
| QUOTE (emo samurai @ May 19 2006, 12:06 AM) |
| What the hell would that spell be? Would it be a drain-reduced manabolt or something? |
Yes. Like Slay Human/Elf/Ork
What if it was at force bajillion?
Yeah, I know it's a joke, but seriously, what would that spell be like?
Yeah, I know it's a joke, but seriously, what would that spell be like?
Geez, if I have to give you time to edit, then you need to give me time!
[e] There was no need of some metaplane for which one needed to attune specific spells for the reduced drain. Below Slay Human would be Slay Jason Alexander. I had a mage with "Weedwack" and "Rodent Barrier", though the latter didn't get the reduced drain code.
[e] There was no need of some metaplane for which one needed to attune specific spells for the reduced drain. Below Slay Human would be Slay Jason Alexander. I had a mage with "Weedwack" and "Rodent Barrier", though the latter didn't get the reduced drain code.
I love Slay Western Dragon, Force 1.
Hey, you never know. You might Rule - of - 6 it into the stratosphere, and the dragon might rule-of-1 his resistance throw...
Hey, you never know. You might Rule - of - 6 it into the stratosphere, and the dragon might rule-of-1 his resistance throw...
We had something similar happen in a Rolemastaer game once. We were fighting a dragon that was way out of our league and tearing us apart. I was down to my very last spell and used a word of stunning. It should have washed right off of him because of his high level and innate resistances but I open ended high on my attack roll (kinda like rule of six) and he open ended low on his resitance roll. Man was the gM pissed!
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